Community Contributions

Motor Efficiency

About 52 per cent of the electricity used in the average Saskatchewan industrial business is for motors.

Things you can do to reduce your electricity use:

Replace standard-efficiency motors with premium-efficiency motors and gain up to eight per cent in efficiency.

Use adjustable speed drives in situations where you may not need full power from the motor at all times. Variable speed drive motors use about 50 per cent of the power compared to those without variable speed drives.

Set continuous use motors — such as those in elevators and escalators — to shut down or “sleep” after a certain period of inactivity or during unoccupied hours.

Perform regular cleaning and maintenance on your motors.

Tighten belts and pulleys to prevent slippage.

Lubricate motors and drives regularly to reduce friction.

Replace worn bearings.

Motors in the commercial sector are often oversized for their loads, using more power than needed.